By Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., RD, LD/N, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida

Reviewed by Anne Mathews, PhD, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida

This post is in honor of National Dairy Month.

June is the beginning of summer, and also is National Dairy Month! While thoughts of summer and dairy may conjure up images of ice cream cones or hot fudge sundaes, this is also a good time to think about the nutrients that dairy foods provide and their importance to our health.

In the U.S., dairy foods make significant contributions to good nutrition throughout our lives. Dairy foods are great sources of critical nutrients that are important for everyone, particularly for people in their golden years. That group includes millions of baby boomers, 10,000 of whom are turning 65 every day. Nutrients in dairy foods include:

• protein,
• calcium,
• vitamin D (mainly in fortified milk and some yogurts),
• riboflavin,
• inorganic phosphate,
• potassium.

Dairy is a Good Source of Protein

Why are these nutrients so important, especially to older adults? That’s actually a pretty long story. Let’s start with protein, which we all know is critical for building muscles, among other functions. Our concern as we get older relates to whether or not we have gotten sufficient protein throughout our lives to prevent sarcopenia – age-related loss of muscle mass. As you can imagine, sarcopenia is associated with reduced strength and is a major cause of frailty and poor quality of life among the elderly. There are drug therapies to treat sarcopenia, but strength training (under careful supervision) along with adequate protein and possibly amino acid supplementation (under a doctor’s care) can also be used.

As with most lifestyle-related conditions, however, prevention is better than treatment, and getting adequate protein in our diets throughout life is one way to prevent age-related sarcopenia. Getting back to Dairy Month, dairy foods are one source of high-quality protein.

Dairy Promotes Bone Health

The combination of protein, calcium, and vitamin D found in milk and other fortified dairy foods contributes to bone health. Building strong bones throughout childhood and into our adult years is a preventive approach to avoid loss of bone in our later years. Older adults who have not built strong bones throughout their lives through healthful diets and physical activity are at increased risk for low bone mineral density, falls, and fractures.

You’ve probably seen the statistics on osteoporosis, and if you are an older woman, you likely have concerns about your bones and the possibility that they might not be as strong as they should be. Along with inorganic phosphate, (another nutrient found in dairy foods), protein, calcium, and vitamin D decrease bone breakdown and increase bone formation, enhancing bone mineral density. The role of vitamin D is mainly to enhance calcium absorption. Physical activity, especially weight-bearing exercise like walking, dancing, and strength training, also helps to maintain or build bone strength.

What if I’m Lactose Intolerant?

What about lactose intolerance? Many people who cannot break down the sugar in milk (lactose) or who have limited ability to do so can tolerate small amounts of milk (about ½ cup) when it is included with a meal or snack. Lactase-treated milk is available, for a lactose-free alternative. Lactase is the enzyme that breaks down the sugar lactose in the gut. Lack of this enzyme is what causes lactose intolerance. Yogurt with active cultures often is well tolerated by people with lactose intolerance, and aged cheeses like Cheddar cheese contain only small amounts of lactose.

Including dairy foods in your diet during National Dairy Month and throughout the year will provide you with a variety of critical nutrients, many of which are limited in the diets of older adults. Selecting low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products will reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet, as well as excess energy (calories), which are concerns for many people today. I’m feeling like a strawberry milk shake right about now … how about you?

Easy Strawberry Milkshake (1-2 servings, depending on how much you want!)

• 1 cup low-fat milk

  

• About 1/3 cup frozen, sliced strawberries (wash, hull, and slice before freezing, or buy pre-prepared in the frozen foods section)

Optional additions:

• your favorite sweetener to taste
• a few drops of vanilla
• 2 tablespoons vanilla or strawberry ice cream

Blend in a blender on high speed. Add strawberries gradually through the opening in the top of your blender; use more or less than 1/3 cup, depending on how thick you want your milkshake.

(Photo credit: Divco Quaker Maid Milk Delivery Van by Alden Jewell. CC BY 2.0.)

Further Reading

Prevent Osteoporosis: Catch the Silent Thief (from UF-IFAS Extension)

Facts about Vitamin D (from UF-IFAS Extension)

Facts about Calcium (from UF-IFAS Extension)

Healthy Eating: Calcium (from UF-IFAS Extension)

Healthy Eating: Calcium (from UF-IFAS Extension)

References

Bonjour J-P, et al. (2013). Dairy in adulthood: From foods to nutrient interactions on bone and skeletal muscle health. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 32(4), 251-63.

NIH News & Events. (2014). Research consortium including NIH proposes diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia, 2014. Retrieved from http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2014/nia-15.htm

Wakabayashi, H., & Sakuma, K. (2014). Comprehensive approach to sarcopenia treatment. Current Clinical Pharmacology, 9(2), 171-80.

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